2 Questions regarding IVing

[Yeah Mart]

I couldn't see an Australian IV thread so that's why I made this one.


I've been using the drug ice now for about 2 years and I've managed to keep it strictly weekend warrior. I've only just recently started injecting it and I have 2 questions:

1)

Can anyone tell me where on the Northern Beaches of Sydney I can get rigs? More towards the Mona Vale and Narrabeen area.

2)

I've read about rotating injection sites, which I'm guessing is so that you don't collapse a vein. My question is: Is it still paramount when only doing it on the weekends?

Thanks.

 

[DeathDomokun]

1. If you look here you'll see there's a community centre at 18 Coronation St, Mona Vale 2103 that say 'drug and alcohol' so I assume they do needle exchange. Just google needle exchange sydney and look for the closest one. Also, look here because if you don't dispose of your needles properly I will shit in your letterbox.

2. Please refer to the IV megathread, as well as the micron filter megathread or even here.

Paramount? HR is paramount on a HR forum, yes.
It's not a matter of when you do it but how many times you do it.
You will collapse your vein in the coming years if you continue to inject on weekends, even with good technique.
Realistically speaking, your technique won't be perfect and you probably won't stick to weekends forever, in which case the vein will just collapse sooner rather than later.
Yes, change sites, unless your new years resolution is to quit by next christmas in which case your vein might survive, although there's no point in putting an unnecessary toll on your body.

I hope this clears everything up, and I can't see this thread generating much discussion, but hey

 

[Sustanon]

Ive never IV-d before but researched this quite often and have heaps of mates who use the IV ROA. U can pick up all ur supplies like needles, barrells, wipes, sterile water etc at chemist called a fit pack I believe, it really depends on where u go to get them as sometimes they frown upon u and do not hand out anything so try a small chain chemist. Thats ur best bet. If all fails well there are heaps of online places to get them. Ive made numerous trips to hospitals with mates to get them syringes from a dispenser. Some hospitals even have a dispensary offering needles for steroids / drugs and I usually get a whole bag (roughly 30) packet of condoms for FREE!

Even though u are a weekend warrior which is good to hear u are managing to refrain from usingmore frequently. It "can" usually go using every now n then to once a month then weekends only then daily usage so just be careful which u seem to be anyway Its wise to switch injection sites often to let it recover. When I used to IM steroids id always switch sites on opposite ends so that it can heal and not cause absesses or similar things which aint a good thing. Plus if I used the exact same spot few days later I got majorly corked and walked like a penguin but u probably wont have that issue as ur not injecting ur ass LOL

Good luck man and stay safe!

 

[opi8]

There are IV mega threads on the Other Drugs forum which you may want to source if you want a shit-ton of info related to IV'ing. This is not really AU specific.

Definitely rotate your sites, collapsed veins are not the only reason to do so, in fact if you're just a (or can continue being a) weekend warrior, rotating is best for your appearance, as well as veins, if you're worried about others finding out about your use. Changing sites will drastically reduce the scarring.

 

[gimpan]

Has anyone tried asking a trusted GP to show them right way from the wrong way? My experience has come from learning from other IVers/interwebs, but I cant think of a better way than having a trained professional at least showing what not to do.

My mum is training to be a nurse and she has to learn all the theory and train on dummies for weeks before they are passed, but ive never seen it to be that complicated as long as you have common sense, basic anatomy knowledge (not taking into account filtering) and are cautious with dosages that would seem to be all a person needs.

Still if you are unsure seek the advice of a doctor.

 

[Sustanon]

Im pretty sure that u'd find a bunch of "How to" videos online as well. Some doctors may be reluctant to give out these sort of advice even if it is for harm reductions sake.

 

[Yeah Mart]

There are IV mega threads on the Other Drugs forum which you may want to source if you want a shit-ton of info related to IV'ing. This is not really AU specific.

Definitely rotate your sites, collapsed veins are not the only reason to do so, in fact if you're just a (or can continue being a) weekend warrior, rotating is best for your appearance, as well as veins, if you're worried about others finding out about your use. Changing sites will drastically reduce the scarring.

In regards to appearance, not an issue because if anyone asks I just tell them I had a blood test and also I don't bruise easy, the vein I like to use on top of my forearm doesn't leave trackmarks for some reason. Maybe because I hit it first time everytime.

 

[Yeah Mart]

I should've made it clearer, when I was in Geelong I could just walk into emergency at the hospital and ask for Insulin syringes for free, can the same be done in Sydney. I was aware of the IV mega thread but if I'm not mistaken it's global so I thought I might have more luck in the Australian forum.

 

[JessFR]

Has anyone tried asking a trusted GP to show them right way from the wrong way? My experience has come from learning from other IVers/interwebs, but I cant think of a better way than having a trained professional at least showing what not to do.

My mum is training to be a nurse and she has to learn all the theory and train on dummies for weeks before they are passed, but ive never seen it to be that complicated as long as you have common sense, basic anatomy knowledge (not taking into account filtering) and are cautious with dosages that would seem to be all a person needs.

Still if you are unsure seek the advice of a doctor.

Two problems with trained professionals.

One is that they're trained to use needles on other people, not themselves. It can be surprisingly tricky to negotiate it on yourself IME.
Two is the alarming number of trained professionals that are still utterly incompetent. Anyone who's had a lot of blood tests from a lot of different techs can probably tell you at least a few horror stories. Doctors in some respects are even worse since they do far fewer of them than nurses.

I should've made it clearer, when I was in Geelong I could just walk into emergency at the hospital and ask for Insulin syringes for free, can the same be done in Sydney. I was aware of the IV mega thread but if I'm not mistaken it's global so I thought I might have more luck in the Australian forum.

Pretty easy to get large numbers of the orange 50-100U insulin syringes pretty cheap on the internet.

 

[opi8]

There should be needle exchanges wherever you go if you're near a city. Local hospitals may or may not provide needles, I've had some flat out deny me before - others have "fit packs" right below the counter and hand them over no worries. It's a crap shoot.

 

[gimpan]

There should be needle exchanges wherever you go if you're near a city. Local hospitals may or may not provide needles, I've had some flat out deny me before - others have "fit packs" right below the counter and hand them over no worries. It's a crap shoot.

Wow, really thats fucked, Ive never had any problems buying fitpacks from chemists here in WA.

 

[the_ketaman]

JessFR is spot on with the subject of asking a doctor or nurse on how to inject yourself as they are often the worst at it. I can shoot myself and literally feel no pain whatsoever and have done other people(I dont inject other people anymore, too much of a liability on myself if they drop or something happens) who were unaware that id already finished the shot until they felt the effects and realized I had already done it.

Once youve been doing it long enough it becomes second nature and you can almost do it blindfolded, unless your one of those very unfortunate people with tiny, invrted veins.

But to answer the original poster.... Yes it is extremely important to rotate injecting spots. You have probably already found one spot that is just too easy to get yourself every time, so you need to get practise getting those other harder to get veins so you dont overuse your good ones. I had 2 really good crook(of my arm) veins but have have partially collapsed one of them and am very quickly ruining the other good one because they too easy to get and I become impatient after one or two stabs at the less used but harder to get veins and I figure the tip is only getting more blunt so I just hit the tried and trusted to prevent further unneccessary needle marks. So im sure this is how other people end up with no veins. Of course apart from the fact that nearly every "Junkie"(I dont call all needle users junkies, you dont even have to be a needle user to be a junkie. to me a "Junkie" is a seedy drug user with few morals and a fucked life) I know has no idea about rotatting spots :/

Anyway, yes even if your using once a week. Still rotate spots, its just a healthy habit to get in to.

 

[spacejunk]

think the questions here have been pretty well answered.

i know it is easy to just stay in Australian Drug Discussion and not stray into the other parts of the forum - but there is a wealth of knowledge out there.
the amount to be learnt - on this subject alone in Other Drugs would take weeks to read through.

there might not be a thread dedicated to this particular topic in Aus DD - but sometimes, i think it is best left that way.

This subforum deals with discussion topics that affect Australian drug users (as well as some more general stuff) but starting a thread because there isn't one here already isn't always necessary when we have an entire subforum (that is way bigger and busier than Aus DD) that deals frequently with this subject matter.
we are lucky in this country to have access to clean injecting equipment based on harm minimisation philosophies. not all places have it so good, but it doesn't take that much effort to get new works so you can have a "clean fit every hit"

if anyone has anything to add to this thread, please PM me and i will reopen it, but i think at this stage i think we've got some good answers and there's little point keeping it open.

to those bluelighters/greenlighters/lurkers who only stick to one particular part of the forum, i say "go explore!" it's still the same website, many of the same people, many of the same topics, but bluelight is like a huge multifaceted ecosystem, each with it's own little intricacies and idiosyncrasies.
not having a go at the op, but just because a subject isn't raised here, doesn't mean it needs to be. the search function(s) are a lot better than they used to be, and bluelight really is becoming an incredible database of human experience, experimentation, knowledge and things we can all learn from. i drift from one subforum to another periodically, and find this quite rewarding, personally. the more you read, the more you'll learn - even at the top of the Australian Drug Discussion page you will find the stickied Harm Reduction Contacts, many of which would be a much better source of a) clean rigs and b) sound IV practice than a doctor, in my opinion. a doctor's job is to stop people trying to medicate themselves, right?

anyway...enough rambling - this monkey's gone to heaven.

just drop me a PM if anyone has anything they need to add

It's a crap shoot.

nicely put